Saturday, January 11, 2014

Do the birds sit in nests or burrow in brush during the
coldest times? I live in Coleman Michigan
and have 5 feeders and 2 suet cakes out, but have never known where they go at
night.

Sleeping habits can change with
the seasons. For instance, birds often sleep on their nests, during the
breeding season but now in the winter might sleep communally in large roosts in
trees or dense shrubs out of a predator’s reach.

I have a lot of backyard birds that like to sleep in the pine trees near the
feeding stations. As dusk approaches there is a feeding frenzy. The goldfinches
at my house sometimes stay too long. I watch them feeding furiously and then
see them look up and notice sun went down. Some find shelter quickly in nearby
bushes while others have been known to spend the night on a feeder or if it's
windy, huddled in a corner close to the house or even burrow into the snow.

Starlings and pigeons can roost under bridges. Ducks often
sleep while floating. Cavity nesting birds like House Sparrows, chickadees, and
woodpeckers can go into a bird house or a natural tree cavity to spend the
night.

When the temperature drops below zero, sleeping birds need bellies full of high
calorie foods to keep their little bodies warm right before bed and the first
thing in the morning.